NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, November 9, 2015

Nigeria is leading the chart of Africans seeking medical care in India, with about 42.4 per cent.

Others prominent on the chart are Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Mauritius, Egypt and South Africa.

India’s pharmaceutical exports to Africa increased from $247.64 million in 2000 to $3.5 billion in 2014.

But medical tourism by Africans to India was said to be on the increase due to poor facilities on the continent.

According to a 2013 statistics (the latest available) released by the New Delhi-based Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), of 275,271 tourist arrivals in India, Nigeria accounted for 34,522.

The report showed that 42.4 per cent of 34, 522 Nigerians, who visited India, came for medical treatment.

The breakdown of African tourist arrivals in India and medical treatment percentage is as follows: Tanzania-23,345(18.5 per cent); Kenya- 40,484(9.2 per cent); Sudan-8,778(9.1 per cent); Mauritius-27,418(5.1 per cent); Egypt-15,062(1.1 per cent); South Africa-58,023 (0.9 per cent) and others-67,639 (13.9 per cent).

The report said: “India, known mostly for its cost-effective medical treatment with high standards in cardiology, orthopedics, nephrology, oncology and neuro-surgery, is suitable for an average African customer, who can’t afford to purchase high-end products from the West.